Israel may be seizing chance to impose ‘new security zone’ in southern Syria
Israeli political analyst Akiva Eldar says Israel has “double vision” in Syria, viewing President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s new administration as an improvement over his predecessor’s, while also seeing Syria’s instability as an opportunity to assert greater military force along the border.
“There are people and groups in Israel who believe that this is an opportunity,” Eldar told Al Jazeera. “Any kind of unrest and instability on the other side of the border is an opportunity to start a kind of a new security zone.
“It goes across the board – it’s in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and Syria. Israel has adopted a kind of philosophy, strategy, that ‘we will control what our safe borders are,'” he added.
However, Eldar said Israel has to be “very careful when confronting” Syria, which the US is improving relations with.
Syria death toll rises again
At least 13 people have been killed in the Israeli incursion on the southern town of Beit Jinn, with at least 25 wounded, sources have told Al Jazeera. The Syrian Civil Defence – which was previously unable to access the area – has now entered Beit Jinn to transport the dead and aid the wounded, SANA said.
Israel’s military says six soldiers injured in Beit Jinn, three severely
Israel’s military has said six Israeli soldiers were injured in clashes in the Syrian town – three severely, one moderately and two lightly. The army said its operation there has been “completed”, with its forces having killed several fighters and arrested other “suspects”.
As we’ve been reporting, Syria’s state news agency says Israel’s attacks in the town have killed 13 people, including women and children.
A wounded girl lies on a hospital bed at Al-Mouwasat Hospital in Damascus, following a operation by Israeli forces in Beit Jin on November 28
Israel’s Beit Jinn incursion ‘full-fledged war crime’: Syria’s Foreign Ministry
Syria’s Foreign Ministry has condemned Israel’s incursion into the town of Beit Jinn “in the strongest terms”, calling it a “full-fledged war crime”.
In a statement released on social media, the ministry said it “holds the Israeli occupation authorities fully responsible for this serious aggression and the resulting casualties and destruction”.
“The continuation of these criminal attacks threatens security and stability in the region and comes within the context of a systematic policy to destabilise the situation and impose an aggressive reality by force,” the statement added.
The ministry urged the United Nations Security Council and the Arab League to “take immediate action to put an end to the policy of aggression and repeated violations”.
